What is the United Nations, and specifically the Human Rights Council framework?
Philpot-Nissen: The UN was set up at the end of World War II, to provide a forum for all national governments as well as civil society and other institutions, to come together to find solutions to rebuild the world, and to dialogue and act to promote peace and development. The Human Rights Council replaced the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2006, and is an intergovernmental body within the UN system responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights. It consists of 47 members elected by the UN General Assembly. Other UN member states are observers to the Human Rights Council. It meets in Geneva to address human rights violations and situations requiring attention.
How does the mechanism of the Universal Periodic Review work?
Philpot-Nissen: The Universal Periodic Review is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council, and was created in an attempt to bring a more equitable system to the monitoring of human rights concerns around the world. Every country which is a UN member state goes through a review of its human rights situation once every five years. The review is carried out by other member states who can ask questions, express concerns, and make recommendations to the state under review regarding measures they could take to improve human rights in their country. It is a unique process in the UN system in that it is the only process through which every country goes through an identical process regardless of whether they have ratified particular treaties, and other stakeholders—which can include churches—are invited to be part of the process through the contribution of reports outlining their own experiences and concerns for human rights.
What are the UN treaty bodies and how can the churches engage?
Philpot-Nissen: UN treaty bodies are committees of experts appointed by the UN to monitor the compliance and progress of countries with respect to their obligations under the core human rights treaties which the country has ratified. For example, compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is monitored by a committee with the same name. Churches can engage with these processes by finding out whether their country is a member state of a particular treaty, then finding out when the next review of their country will take place, and then working with their constituents to prepare a shadow report to be shared with the committee. Following the review, the committee will issue a set of concluding observations, which will include recommendations for the government. Churches can use these recommendations in their own advocacy strategies, and hold their government to account for their implementation in the period leading up to the next review. This period should be five years, but in practice, its often longer as governments often get behind on their own reporting obligations.
The 57th Session of the Human Rights Council—how did the WCC contribute?
Philpot-Nissen: The WCC contributed in several ways. We continued our support to the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands who in 2022, began a process to seek the support of the UN to address the legacy of nuclear testing in their country. WCC co-sponsored a side event on 27 September at which the president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands spoke, and delivered a statement in the Human Rights Council at a dialogue focusing on this concern, speaking on behalf of the survivors of testing who we met during our visit to the Republic of the Marshall Islands in 2023. A second resolution to continue this support is expected to be adopted by the Human Rights Council on 11 October.
On 1 October, WCC hosted a side event on West Papua, at which human rights defenders from the region spoke about the continuing human rights violations which are happening in the territory.
WCC also co-sponsored side events on the impacts of climate change with respect to Brazil, with ecumenical partners, and on reimagining development, with Sikh Human Rights Group and other partners. We supported statements made by other organisations on these concerns.
A briefing with the UN special rapporteur on water and sanitation, who presented his annual report to the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council, was organised in the Ecumenical Centre.
Were there prepared WCC statements that were not delivered at this Human Rights Council?
Philpot-Nissen: Yes, we had registered to speak on five agenda items, including on racial justice, on Israel and Palestine, on West Papua, and on the issue of obstetric fistula. Only our statement on the Republic of the Marshall Islands was high enough up the ever-reducing lists of civil society speakers, for us to actually deliver it. This increased difficulty is indicative of the shrinking civil society space that we are seeing at all levels, including serious repression of human rights defenders in some places around the world.
How do you see the role of the World Council of Churches in terms of church diplomacy? Does religion have an impact on political and international affairs in the world today?
Philpot-Nissen: The WCC and its constituency represent a large and powerful voice which has been very influential in many situations, but it certainly could be further harnessed for greater impact. In some countries, the church is a cornerstone for many communities, and can often initiate and encourage greater levels of action and change than the national or local government. The moral authority that religious actors can bring to a situation can serve to influence outcomes.
It is perhaps the size of the constituencies of churches as much as their motivation from their personal places of faith advocating for peace and respect for human rights, which creates the impact for political and international affairs, as well as their reach down into the lives of those even in the smallest and most remote villages.
What motivated you personally to enter human rights work, and what would you recommend to young people around the world interested in this field?
Philpot-Nissen: I can only describe it as a calling. I had completed a law degree but really wasn't feeling that the conventional path—becoming a solicitor or barrister in my home country the UK—was the path for me. In 1995, I had an opportunity to do an internship in what was then the UN Centre for Human Rights (later the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), and I felt almost immediately that this was what I was going to dedicate my life to. It was a chance to use my law degree to really help the less fortunate, the poor, and the vulnerable. It was a way of trying to give back some of the many blessings I had experienced in my life—a loving and supportive family, access to education, healthcare, and the many privileges that too many young people never enjoy. I enrolled that year for a master's degree in human rights and humanitarian law, and later began my career in the UN system. I later went into nongovernmental work, and then joined the WCC in 2017. It has been an incredible journey.
To the young people interested in this field: thank you, the world desperately needs you. However, the space for work in this field is shrinking as less investment is made in multilateral affairs and away from human rights. My advice would be to make sure your field of study includes a very tangible skill on top of your academic knowledge about human rights and international affairs. This might be a qualification in communications, in nongovernmental organization management, social research, emergency planning—anything which will give you an additional skill to make you more marketable.
Learn more about the WCC work on "Human dignity and rights"
WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs